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Gophers (Thomomys spp.) pose problems for gardeners by digging and gnawing on irrigation lines, pipes and roots. These small rodents have narrow burrows measuring up to 2 1/2 inches wide. PVC pipes can be used to both locate the main burrow tunnels and build a trap to control gophers in your garden. You can trap gophers at any time of the year because they never hibernate, but the best time for trapping is during the fall and spring seasons when gophers produce new mounds as they create new tunnels.

Probing the Problem

Before you can put out traps, you need to probe the ground to locate the main tunnels where you will set the traps. Homemade probes consist of a 14-inch iron piece affixed to a 30-inch piece of 3/4-inch PVC pipe. Between the solid iron piece and the pipe is a T-joint that attaches to a 5-inch piece of pipe that extends perpendicular to the iron piece. This acts as the foot rest. At the free end of the PVC pipe, attach a second T-joint and insert 5-inch pipes into either end for handholds. Poke this pipe probe into the ground equidistant between two gopher mounds. Once the probe drops down into the ground up to 4 inches deep, you know you have found the main runway tunnel for the gophers. This is where you will set your PVC pipe traps.

Catch Them All

When constructing a PVC trap made with a modified rat trap and a PVC pipe, use a pipe with a 3.14-inch (8 cm) internal diameter and a length of 12 inches (30 cm). If this pipe size is too large, use a pipe that will neatly fit into the burrow of the type of gophers you are trapping.